Trip to Baltimore: Federal Hill

I'm back from a long weekend in Baltimore and ready to report my findings. I've spent a weekend down there every summer for the past three years, and in addition to old favorites I always manage to do or see something new.

Our first stop was the neighborhood of Federal Hill, which is just south of the Inner Harbor. I hadn't spent much time there, other than a stop at the Museum of Industry last year. After lunch at Thai Arroy we went to the American Visionary Art Museum, which has been designated by Congress as America's national museum of outsider art.

Out front is a school bus covered in a mosaic of tiles and mirrors. I love the little animals sitting on the hood.

The side of the building that it occupies (a former whiskey warehouse), which reads "O SAY CAN YOU SEE..." in primary colors.

Some sculptures in the courtyard between buildings, including a giant mirrored egg.

A treehouse of sorts* that you can climb into. (See Dave looking out.)

The view from inside the treehouse.

I liked this fake gate with branch winding through it.

After leaving the museum we stopped at Dangerously Delicious Pies to pick up a slice for later. The Mobtown Brown (i.e. pecan pie with chocolate and caramel) might be the richest, most decadent pie I've ever eaten.

*Well, I guess it's not in a tree, but that's what I associate it with.